Parliament of Andalusia (29)

The current headquarters of the Parliament of Andalusia is in the building that used to house the Hospital de las Cinco Llagas [Hospital of the Five Wounds]. This hospital was founded in 1500 by Catalina de Ribera, but its construction didn’t begin until 1545, under the direction of Martín Gaiza. The construction lasted until the 17th century, and so other architects, such as Hernán Ruiz and Asensi de Maeda, were also an important part of its creation.

In fact, with more than a thousand beds for the sick, the hospital quickly became one of the largest in Europe and continued to be until 1960. A few decades later, in 1992, this magnificent renaissance building was restored in order to house the headquarters of the Parliament of Andalusia.

Be sure to check out the tiny mannerist church inside this building that was created by Hernán Ruiz. Even though it is now used as a meeting room, it still contains an altarpiece created by Maeda in 1601.